By joshua 
Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion : The Merciful Grand Patron
If I am asked to edit or rewrite “The Parable of The Prodigal Son” as recorded in the Book of Luke 15: 11 – 32, I would start by changing the title to “The Parable of The Merciful Father” because, in my human opinion, the Father is the hero of that Parable.
Similarly, in this Part One of my Tribute to Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, The Esama of Benin and Grand Patron of The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State Council , at 91, I present the account of one of my several encounters with the great Esama of Benin in 2014..
I pray God to grant me the grace to live to recount more of my inexhaustible stories about my numerous encounters with the handsome and flamboyant Chief.
Seeing Chief Igbinedion in his grandeur, not many would imagine that he could be as humorous and amiable as I know him to be.
Sometime in 2014, we had a Journalist called Orobosa Omo-Ojo , as Commissioner for Transport during the second term administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
Mr Omo-Ojo had a turbulent clash with the Independent Television and Radio, a powerful media house own by Chief Igbinedion.
Then, I was pioneer State Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
ITV took on the commissioner like a snake would do to anyone who stepped on its tail .
The radical Commissioner braised up to the challenge.
So the battle raged on. The aggrieved media house went as far as conducting damaging public opinions about the person and performance of the Commissioner. I became worried and , I summoned the Commissioner to meet me at my private office then at Edo House, 6 Akpakpava, Street , Benin City. He came and told me his version of the story.
The following morning, I was guest of ITV , Iguosa.
Before entering the studio , I called the then General Manager, a gentleman and committed loyalist of Chief Igbinedion, Elder Ogbeide Uwuimwonse to meet me as soon as the program that I was there for ends.
Done with my business at the studio, amiable Elder Uwuimwonse met me at the car park. After our usual pleasantries, I confronted him with the issue of Omo-Ojo and ITV and told him I wanted an immediate end to the hostilities.
He politely declined.
Then I sensed that the matter was beyond his office.
My Encounter with the Extra-ordinary Man.
On getting back to my office, I placed a call to Chief Igbinedion and, a voice of a young man answered, asking me who am I. I said : “tell Chief it’s me Comrade Erhahon.”
Mentally alert Chief Igbinedion spoke from the background: “ask him which of the Erhahons”.
And I shouted, “The former NUJ Chairman”. Even before I could mention ” Chairman” he (probably) snatched the phone from the young man and shouted: “Chairman, where have you been?”
I told him I was around and wanted to see him urgently.
Anxiously, he asked : “When? When are you coming?”. I replied: “Now”.
The great Esama said he was just about going out but he would then wait for me.
Instantly, I asked my nephew, Roy Osariemen, who was with me at that moment to give me a ride to the Esama ‘s palatial residence.
2014 was the year The Esama started his September birthday celebrations from February and his dinning room was open all day, everyday till after September.
After exchanging pleasantries, the Esama directed me go and eat whatever I liked from the assorted foods in the dining and, I obeyed.
When I returned, he queried me humourously: “Chairman, you are so quick.
“Were you afraid to eat sufficient pounded yam?”
I smiled and responded that I met my favourite plantain and vegetable source as a farmer’s son that I was. “You know my stomach is not as big as yours “, I added.
The Great Esama smiled.
Straight to business.
I thanked my host for waiting to receive me at such a short notice.
I told him I came for three purposes. First to congratulate him on his forthcoming birthday anniversary.
We reminisced on my goodwill message to him when he celebrated his 75th birthday anniversary few years earlier.
That’s a story for another day.
Second, I expressed my displeasure at the hostilities between the ITV Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the State Council of the Union. I insisted that ITV being an organisation belonging to him, the Grand Patron of the Union , the chapel should not be heard to be at war with the State Council, no matter what.
The Esama promised to order a change of heart by the Chapel.
And truly, he did.
Having watered the ground with those two issues, I ventured into the main one: the ITV war against The Commissioner for Transport, Orobosa Omo-Ojo.
” My Grand Patron, the third issue is about the disturbing crisis between ITV and Orobosa Omo-Ojo…”
I have not ended the pronunciation of “Omo-Ojo” when my host flared up urging me to stop mentioning the name else he would ask me to leave his house .
“Who is Orobosa to dare me?” he queried. “He thinks he can shot down my station?”
He accused the Commissioner of petitioning against ITV to the National Broadcasting Commission , NBC.
Furiously, the Esama narrated the story of the crisis. He said men of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency, EDSMA, under the Transport Ministry, arrested an ITV news crew for driving anti- traffic while pursuing a news story. And the Agency impounded the news Van, defiling all appeal from the management. He argued that , in the civilised countries, news Vans enjoyed the privileges to drive anti traffic when their work so demanded .
This detail was just being told to me for the first time.
I yawned in dismay but dared to pursue the matter further:
“My Grand Patron, but Orobosa is your son.”
He reacted angrily:
“How can he be my son? Chairman, stop that!”, he warned me. I replied him politely: “Orobosa Omo-Ojo is from Ovia North- East Local Government Area and I know you to be the father of all Ovia North East people. Can you tell your people that you have disowned one of them?”
He insisted that Orobosa was not his son.
Seeing that the great Esama was not ready to yield to my persuasion, I deviced another approach to my persuasion.
“My Grand Patron, you know I can overrule you on this matter”, I told him.
“Who are you to overrule me? On what ground?”, he queried me.
I replied : “Chief if your senior son Lucky, even with his profile as former two time Governor of this state should walk in here now, can he dare to stretch his hands to shake you if you don’t beckon on him?”
Chief Igbinedion replied: “How can he?”
Encouraged by his positive response which tended to lead me towards my goal, I asked the great Chief:
“But if his children come in , they can climb you and even remove this cap from your head without asking for your permission to do so”
He reacted in Benin Language: “Oni ore, eyie omaen ore ogbe omaen” (translated : “that is so because it is the grand children of the old man that beat the old man”)
I happily agreed with him and continued to drive home my point.
“In my position as the pioneer Chairman of the NUJ in Edo State, so elected, I know you are the sole grand patron while we have many patrons under you,” I reminded him
The Esama nodded in affirmation: “you are correct.”
“As our Grand Patron”, I continued ” you are the grandfather of all journalists in Edo State,.”
He concur.
Remember that Orobosa Omo-Ojo is a Journalist”, I told the great Chief.
“And so what?”, he fired back at me.
“The public should not be allowed to hear that you are crossed with one of your grand children.
“On that note, permit me to overrule you on your annoyance with one of us. ”
Great Chief Igbinedion!
He smiled and said: “Chairman that is how you applied your Iyekeorhionmwon sense to judge the matter.”? (Iyekeorhionmwon is the native descriptive name of the part of the Benin Kingdom that I hale from)
“Yes my Grand patron,” I agreed.
A lively and smiling Esama then asked me :
“What do you want me to do now “?
Bending my two knees in reverence, I pleaded :
” please forgive Orobosa, your stubborn grand son”.
Chief Igbinedion immediately picked up his phone and called the ITV General Manager, Elder Ogbeide Uwuimwonse who immediately answered saying he was nearby , just about entering the Chief’s house.
As the General Manager appeared , the Chief directed him : “you see your Chairman, Erhahon here.
“He came to beg for Orobosa. Let’s forgive him because of Chairman “.
That was how the raging war ended. My then APC State Chairman, Barrister Anselm Ojezua and Secretary, Chief Osaro Idah expressed surprise when I reported to them.
Such was my service to APC in my capacity as State Publicity Secretary.
Orobosa Omo-Ojo, a gentleman , remains appreciative of my intercession till date.
I continue to owe the Esama gratitude for heeding to my humble plea.
May God continue to increase his blessings and glory.
END